


Observing

by MellMellMell



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Boyfriends, Boyfriends Running The Pub, Love, M/M, Paddy's Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 05:44:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7922782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellMellMell/pseuds/MellMellMell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Paddy observing and reflecting about being back in the village. Most of those thoughts converse around Aaron and Robert as they mind the bar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Observing

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So I fiiiinallly managed to finish something and I am completely unsure of it. I have started and scraped so many stories lately, and this is the first that had actually taken shape and become something. I hope you enjoy. I am still planning to do more reactions to You Are Safe, so please any feedback for this story is so appreciated.

It was strange being back, thought Paddy. So much had changed. So much he was having to adjust to, come to terms with and ultimately move on from.

The biggest was of course that Rhona had moved on. Found someone new. Someone who, if he really admitted it, was far more in her league. Which only made the hurt worse. That she was the best thing to ever happen to him and he blew it. What an idiot. 

Then there was Marlon and Carly. How did that happen? It had happened of course, he though, because Marlon was a good man. A nice, stable, loving man who adored her. Just as he should have done. Rhona deserved to be adored, and it seemed like Pierce was doing just that. Man I hate him, he thought. 

By far however, the strangest change had been with Aaron. Or Aaron and Robert to be more precise. They were happy. That was the only way he could describe it. It was odd to watch. They had never been happy, at least that he had seen, even at the start. It was always one of the questions Paddy had when asking Aaron why he stayed with him. Why he let Robert treat him the way he had, because he never looked happy. They never looked happy. Never acted happy. They just fought and clawed and broke each other until there was nothing left. 

Yet, here he was, alone because of his own affair. Watching the two young men flurry around the bar. Chas had left 20 minutes ago, something about Belle, and Robert had volunteered him and Aaron immediately. _"Anything we can do to help,"_ , he had said, so sincerely Paddy had almost believed him. Almost. He wasn't that stupid. Chas had believe him, so had Aaron. Who had stood beside the taller man, looking up at him like he was the greatest thing to ever happen to the world ever. 

Paddy hated him. Hated Robert Sugden and his smug face. Hated him because of what he had done to Aaron, what he had threatened to do to Rhona and Leo, what he had done to Katie and countless others. Mainly he hated him though, because he blamed him for his own affair. If Robert bloody Sugden hadn't been messing Aaron around he never would have been in that position. Never would have confided in Tess. Never would have kissed her. Or fumbled in her car, and therefore there never would have been an affair. He would have enjoyed his lads night out with Marlon instead of leaving early and ending up with Tess. 

He hated him. 

No matter how much he hated him though, he couldn't deny how happy he was making Aaron. They looked so domestic, so comfortable, so right behind the bar. Rushing around taking orders, pouring pints, making fun of Victoria when she appeared out the kitchen. He could picture this exact scene 20 years from now, the two of them still there, exactly as they are now. Older, more grey perhaps, but the same. 

"Hey Robert,", shouted Aaron, from across the pub as he cleared the tables, "you wanna stop gossiping and actually do some work or?"

"I am working!", shot back Robert, gesturing to Vanessa and Layla, "I am encouraging these lovely ladies to stay in the pub. The longer they stay, the more they drink, the more money we make. It's simple business, am I right girls?"

"Yeah,", agreed Layla, downing the rest of her drink and gesturing for another one. 

"Seems logical to me,", chimed in Vanessa, following in her companions wake and ordering another drink as well. 

"See!", gloated Robert, who poured two large glasses of wine and handed them over, taking the money in exchange, "a job well done!" 

Aaron was laughing along with them at this point, having made his way back behind the bar. He came to a stop beside his boyfriend, who looked at him with the fondest look Paddy had ever seen. 

"So what are we talking about then?", asked Aaron, getting swept up in the conversation. 

Paddy watched for a while longer. Unable to stop watching them really. He had known Aaron a long time now, and he had never known him like this. Comfortable in his own skin, comfortable around someone else. It was everything he had wished for the boy he called his son, but, it wasn't what he would have chosen for him. How could it be? Robert was toxic, wasn't he? He destroyed everything he touched. He took what he wanted, not caring what was left behind in his wake. He'd only really been back in the village for a few years and look at the damage he had caused. Does that really just stop counting because he was there for Aaron? 

He was brought out of his thoughts by example A. 

Chrissie. 

She had walked into the pub and immediately clocked the two boys behind the bar. 

"Just who I was looking for actually", she had started, the two boys just glaring back at her, "I'll have a white wine and for your Liv to stay away from Lucky."

"What?", both of them had exclaimed in unison, which only made Paddy scoff, could they be anymore cliché. 

"You heard me, white wine,", smirking at them, knowing exactly what she was doing. 

"The other thing,", growled Robert. 

Paddy couldn't understand why they were being so stand-offish with her. After all, they were the ones who had hurt her. 

"Liv. I don't want her near Lachlan, or Home Farm. Tell her to stay away."

"Believe us, she's not allowed near him,", snarled Aaron, looking at her like she was poisonous. 

"Us? Well yes this is very domesticated isn't it? Running a pub now Robert? How the mighty have fallen, and all that,", she shot back, taking a sip of her wine, looking very pleased with herself. 

"Chas is out looking for Belle," replied Robert calmly, "maybe if you stop focusing on your own life for a minute, you would see people with real problems, and not just your own bad hair cut," 

Paddy looked at Aaron and could see he was trying hard not to laugh. So was everyone for that matter. When had Robert become this socially accepted? 

Chrissie looked at him like she could kill him. 

"Actually,", started Chrissie, regaining her composure fairly quickly, "I think I'll take my business elsewhere. I would rather not have to look at my cheating ex-husband and the man who stole him,"

"It's not stealing when they come looking for you,", chirped Aaron, arms folded, staring her down, side by side with Robert, who looked positively gleeful. 

"You shouldn't look so pleased with yourself," she started, staring straight at the younger man, "worming your way into his bed, must have learned from Charity eh? But a piece of advice, nobody likes a gold digger,"

"Enough!", shouted Robert, all amusement having left his demeanour, "Aaron's right, I went looking for him. Which was the best decision I ever made, and it was my decision. No one forces you into an affair, it was my own choice, my own decision and I take all the blame. I shouldn't have done that to you, but I did. But a piece of advice to you, no one liked a vindictive cow." 

She stormed out the pub in a flurry of her handbag and the clicking of heels. 

"Thank you," said Aaron softly, looking up at his boyfriend like he was the sun.

"No problem,", smiled Robert, looking at Aaron the exact same way. 

Vanessa and Layla couldn't keep from 'awwing' when Aaron had leaned up and kissed the taller man gently on the cheek. Making Aaron blush a deep shade of red and Robert grin like he could burst. 

As Paddy took in the scene he was hit by what Robert had said. "No one forces you into an affair,", he was right, he had make the decision that night to kiss Tess. He had made the decision each time afterwards to continue. He couldn't blame it on Robert Sugden any longer. He was at fault. 

So downing the rest of his pint, which he had been nursing for far too long, he left the pub, finally ready to take responsibility and hopefully move on. 

Damn that Robert Sugden. This does not mean he likes him now.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think, feedback, constructive criticism, praise, anything. Thanks you! x


End file.
